Henry Mukasa, Barbara Among and Joyce Namutebi
4 June 2009
Kampala — PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has declared the fight against corruption as the only war remaining after the defeat of the LRA. Delivering the State of the Nation Address to Parliament yesterday, Museveni vowed that the NRM Government will win that war, like others it fought before.
After elaborating on the performance of the economy, plans for infrastructure development, the defeat of the LRA rebels and the disarmament of Karimojong warriors, Museveni declared: "The war now is on corruption."
The statement comes as Uganda is ranked the third highest in the 2009 Corruption Barometer by Transparency International.
"NRM's stand is zero tolerance to corruption. That remains our position," Museveni said as MPs from the opposition shouted: "Temangalo, shame!"
"If there is anyone who can fight this war, it is NRM," Museveni emphasised as protests from the opposition benches increased. "It is NRM which stopped extra-judicial killings; it will also stop the killing of money."
Responding to the opposition's skepticism, the President admitted that there were corrupt people in NRM but hastened to add that the opposition, too, had crooked members.
He noted that while he had come across model chairpersons belonging to NRM, he was yet to find an opposition chairperson with the same performance.
Singling out Wakiso district, Museveni noted that the district chairman, Ian Kyeyune, had utilised the conditional grants from the Government for the construction of district headquarters.
"I am trying to see one by the opposition where there's comparison. Show me one managed by the opposition, I will congratulate you," he said, as some MPs shouted: "Soroti".
Museveni referred to the enactment of several bills as proof that the Government is serous about rooting out graft from the public and private sector.
He pointed at the Auditor General's Act, making the office of the Auditor General autonomous, the passage of the Anti-Corruption Bill, the tabling in Parliament of the Whistle Blower's Bill and the establishment of the special Anti-Corruption Court.
In addition, he said, the staff of the Inspector General of Government and the Directorate of Public Prosecution had been trained to handle corruption cases.
"The war against corruption has to be fought by everybody. Like the nation joined hands to fight AIDS, we need to jointly fight corruption," Museveni implored.
In his three-hour address, the President was jovial and often exchanged jokes with the opposition.
He said the economy was still sound and attracting investors despite the world-wide crisis. "While the impact of the global economic crisis on the developing world has been adverse on many economies, provisional data by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics indicates that the Ugandan economy has continued to grow at a robust rate of 7% per annum," Museveni told the packed House.
When the opposition refused to applaud him, he accused them of being jealous and teasingly said they can "go hang."
The President observed that the size of the economy was now sh29.8 trillion, as compared to sh24.7 trillions in June 2008.
"This means that the size of our economy has expanded 8.4 times since the NRM took power in 1986." The per capita GDP, he added, was now $420b, up from $264b in 1986.
"The resilience of the Ugandan economy in the midst of the ongoing global economic crisis is mainly because of the diversification of the economy and particularly the export sector and the services sector," he explained.
To keep the economy afloat, the President said, a strategy of ensuring improved budget performance will be implemented by strengthening the link between public spending and results.
"I have directed the Prime Minister to ensure that the results of each agency are discussed by Cabinet on a quarterly basis, which the President will chair."
Industries registered the highest growth, at 8.3%, led by the food processing sector, he noted.
And although the share of agriculture in total GDP continued to decline, the sector grew by 2.6%.
The President reiterated the Government's focus on roads construction and energy as a way of addressing growth constraints in the economy.
Works at the 250MW Bujagali dam were on course, he informed Parliament, adding that electricity generation will start in December 2010. The same month, construction will start of the $1b Karuma hydropower project, he announced.
He further said he had instructed the energy ministry to develop power projects along all available sites on River Nile and smaller rivers in the country. By 2020, Uganda should be able to generate 17,000MW of power.
On road construction and health provision, the President urged MPs, including the opposition, to make impromptu inspection visits to assess work progress and service delivery.
"You should ensure that money allocated to your area reaches. You can do a good job for your area. You will get some popularity at the cost of the Government."
At the end of his address, Museveni received a standing ovation from the NRM MPs, who ululated and chanted: "No Change!" Opposition MPs, however, remained glued to their seats.
Speaker Edward Ssekandi assured the President that Parliament will support the Government's programmes, geared at uplifting the living standing of the people. Ssekandi adjourned Parliament to June 11 when the new finance minister, Syda Bbumba, will present her maiden national budget for the 2009/2010 financial year. Afterwards, Museveni, MPs and dignitaries had a party at the Parliament Gardens.
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